← The Herd with Colin Cowherd
The Herd with Colin Cowherd
3 & Out - It's the Lions time, What are the Cowboys doing, Can't miss NFL prospects
01:15:19
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- [00:00]
John Middlekoff
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- [00:36]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
Lately on the NPR Politics Podcast, we're talking about a big question. How much can one guy change?
- [00:43]
Jason Demers
They want change.
- [00:44]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
What will change look like for energy?
- [00:47]
Political Commentator
Drill baby Drill schools. Take the Department of Education. Close it.
- [00:51]
John Middlekoff
Health care better and less expensive.
- [00:53]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
Follow coverage of a changing country.
- [00:56]
Political Commentator
Promises made, promises kept. We're going to keep our promises on.
- [00:59]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
The NPR Politics Podcast. Listen on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [01:06]
Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart is back at the Daily show and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into John's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondents and contributors, and with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [01:44]
Adnan Virk
What's up everybody? Ad Nan Verk here to tell you about a new podcast. It's NHL Unscripted with Virkin Demers, Jason.
- [01:50]
Jason Demers
Demers here, And after playing 700 NHL games, I got a lot of dirty laundry to air out.
- [01:55]
Adnan Virk
Hey, I got a lot to say here too, okay? Each week we'll get together to chat about the sport that we love.
- [01:59]
Jason Demers
Tons of guests are going to join in too. But we're not just going to be talking hockey, folks. We're talking movies. We're talking tv, food, and Adnan's favorite wrestling. It's all on Le Table.
- [02:09]
Adnan Virk
Listen to NHL Unscripted with Virk and demers, the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [02:18]
John Middlekoff
The Volume what is going on, everybody? Hopefully everyone is having a great day, a great morning, and life is good. We're going to talk a little football today because I I think there's a lot of pressure on the Lions to take advantage of their situation given their two coordinators are probably going to bounce, AKA get head coaching jobs. So they're the one seed Dan Campbell, they had an opportunity last year, they got playoff experience and I think all, all the pressure points to them in the NFC to if not now, then when given that they're going to have so much staff turnover. You know I pushed back against some of the criticism for Jerry Jones. I think it's pretty undeniable now. And even I need to acknowledge like he's the problem. Story about Jason Whitten as the heir to McCarthy and then just some quick draft thoughts how it relates to the quarterbacks coming up this weekend, how they were all basically high picks. I mean Jalen was the latest and he was a second rounder, several number one and two overall picks at quarterback and just why this thing is so hard but why quarterback inflation is not going to go anywhere as well as middlekop mailbag at johnmittlekopf Fire in those DMs. Get your questions answered on the show. We will have a mailbag and other than that, yeah, subscribe to the podcast if you listen on Collins and subscribe to the YouTube channel, all of our content is up there as well. So go check that out and let's roll. I did want to start with the Lions and when they blew the NFC Championship game, Dan Campbell said after the game what he told the team was listen guys, I love you guys and this team was awesome, but there is no guarantee that we'll ever make it back here. And it was very real. I remember watching the press conference going damn man. And they had a chance obviously if they kicked the field goal to take a three score lead in the second half and the 49ers wouldn't have just been on the ropes. It would have felt like borderline impossible for them to come back. And the Lions melted down in the 49ers end up winning that game. But I give the Lions a lot of credit that they not only answered the bell in 2024, they dealt with an insane amount of adversity when it comes to the guys injured on their team and had the best season in the history of their franchise, are the number one seed and everyone has to come through Detroit. And let's face it, the NFC relative to even last year doesn't feel quite as good. You know, I think clearly the Eagles are the second best team, but they got some major question marks with when their quarterback plays. Just not a great game. Like they can be beat. You just have to find a way to score a couple times on them because they struggle to score especially early in games and AJ Brown's reading that book for a reason. You know, he's. He doesn't want to attack his quarterback. He wants the rock and the quarterback can't get him the ball. But there is a decent chance, I, I would say read a report this morning from my guy, Vic Tafer, that the in Florio has been all over this, the tampering of Tom Brady and the Lions. He's calling the game this weekend. I never would have thought this a couple weeks ago, but signs and momentum is starting to lend itself to Ben Johnson ending up with the Raiders. And a big reason for that is because the Raiders are the only job he's not interested in, the jets job. But when it comes to the franchise, like the Bears or the Jacks, those teams have general managers. And this was a big reason Mark Davis fired Telesco is you get a clean slate. And if you're interested in getting a guy like Ben Johnson, and Brady's clearly pushing for that, he can bring along his personnel guy. Which signs point to that being Adam Peters right hand guy is assistant GM who came from the Lion. So they know each other pretty well. And I watched Aaron Glenn give a press conference today. I just thought it was fantastic. He kind of pushed back on the notion that he's a defensive coach. And he's like, I'm a football coach. If you're hiring me, you're not getting a defensive coordinator, getting a football coach. I will talk to the offense as much as I talk to the defense. And clearly Aaron Glenn is not just an impressive football guy. I mean, he had an unreal career as a player. His now career as a coordinator has been fantastic. And that job he did against Minnesota the other night was honestly the blueprint for McVay and Chris Shula that kicked the shit out of Kevin O'Connell. So Aaron Glenn from a schematic standpoint is obviously really impressive. And you watch him talk, you're like, this guy's awesome. And Ben Johnson mentioned today, he's like, I've never been around a guy more prepared to be a head coach than this guy. This isn't a head coach. And obviously these guys have had a front row seat learning from Dan Campbell, who clearly is a complete ass kicker. The Lions are going to be good next year. They have a ton of good players under contract in the prime of their career. But anytime, you know, assuming that they lose their offensive coordinator and their defensive coordinator, like those are pretty big shoes to fill and there is no guarantee that they're going to be as good on either unit when you lose, the guy calling the place. So when you look at the Lions like what they did, bouncing back in that scenario was impressive. And we have seen teams lose in the championship game and bounce back the following year. The 49ers did it like three straight years, but to me, this is the year to go for broke to make the super bowl. Because if you don't make the super bowl with these two guys, it's going to be much more difficult when these guys are going and it all lines up. You have the number one seed, you got a week of rest. You get a team coming off that, let's face it, no one thought would be in the second round. I looked earlier today, they're a nine and a half point favorite. They will be favored assuming they win this game against obviously the Rams and even the Eagles. While the spread would be bigger against the Rams, they would be a field goal favorite against the Eagles at home. And it's a massive advantage given how loud that place is. So I was, I'm rooting for the Lions. I think it would be an awesome story for the NFL. They have been an awesome story for the NFL the last two years, but now it's real. Like, this is not the Ravens and the Bills, where it's like, can we take down Patrick Mahomes? Can we do this right? And the answer might be, no, you can't. And we might learn over the next two weeks, whoever wins that Bills, Ravens game, like you're dealing with Michael fucking Jordan here. You're dealing with Tom Brady, you're dealing with Tiger Woods. You're never beating them. And you know what? That's okay. That doesn't diminish who you are. You're still a great player, great team, your hall of Fame, both Lamar and Josh Allen, but they might never beat that guy. It might just never happen. That ain't the case here. I saw the Eagles get their break speed off by the bucks last year. I just watched them struggle against the Green Bay Packers. Now I like the Eagles. I think if their passing game is working, they're going to be tough to beat. But the opportunity is there for the Lions and I think Dan Campbell knows it. Like, it doesn't get any better than this, especially when you have the cohesion of the coaching staff. So I do think I'm recording this on a Wednesday. I think these next 10 plus days are kind of going to define this era of Lions football. And if they go to the super bowl, even if they were to lose to one of Those AFC teams, obviously the Chiefs. But even if one or the other. Listen, you took the Detroit Lions, the Super Bowl. It's one of the greatest accomplishments I've ever seen in my entire life. But you can't have one of those moments where you got really close and you didn't get over the hump, because next year is going to be a lot more difficult. I've always defended Jerry Jones. I've always just kind of liked him. I like guys that kind of beat to their own drum. They don't just get in line. Those are the type of guys that I'm drawn to. That's what, you know, I admire that quality in human beings. But there is a point in time where it's like, what are you doing? And I thought with the McCarthy situation, like, why not just fire the guy on Black Monday so you can move on? Even if it's like, well, they missed their window to interview this guy and that guy. It's even less about that and more just, what a waste of time. Looking back, the last four or five days have been of them talking when clearly they both knew this was probably inevitable. I'm a huge believer the older I get of, like, not wasting time. I mean, it's literally the most valuable thing we have, right? Beside, like, our children or our parents. Like, I'm talking, like, physical beings. But I'm just saying in life, our job, any money we have, any. Our time, right? And it can end, obviously, we all can die at any given moment. So there is no guaranteed time past right now or tomorrow or the next day. None of it's guaranteed. So the older you get, being efficient with your time is really important. And it does feel like the Cowboys just completely wasted a week when they had to have known before the season ended, like, Mike was probably gone. Even though most of us, after the week before the story broke, just assume McCarthy was going to stay, because how would they not keep him after they've just been hanging out for the week talking football. But this is Jerry Jones. And I was thinking about. I do get where Cowboys fans go is like, as long as Jerry's there, we're screwed. And I always thought, like, I don't know, man. Just hire the right guy. I do think it's basically impossible when you look around the league if your owner is the star, because I've said this about, like, when the Rams and Niners play, the two poster people of the game are not any players. It's mcvan, Shanahan. But that's fine. The poster child or the poster player, or the poster person for your franchise can be a coach and not a player. That's okay. I would argue with the Detroit Lions, who you'd put on the poster. I would put Dan Campbell. Now you get the AFC teams. It would probably be Mahomes, Lamar and Josh Allen, obviously. But I don't think anyone would argue if you put Andy Reid up on the poster. You know, it was Belichick and Brady forever. As long as it's either your quarterback or your coach, you're in pretty good shape. And when you look at the NFL, like hell, I'd even argue the Eagles. You could argue it's like Howie Roseman right now. More than likely It'd be like A.J. brown or something. But Jalen hurts. But regardless, it's not the owner. And when you look at the best teams left in the final, whatever, eight of the playoffs, their owners nowhere to be found. I mean, absolutely. When you think about the AFC teams, the three AFC teams, which I would say right now feel like the best three teams in the league. Maybe the Lions want to see other defense if they can answer the bell again. But when do you ever hear from Steve Bushotti? Unless you're reading, like, Raven article after Raven article. But if you're just like casually watching football, follow it really closely and definitely follow the best teams. I never see him around. The only thing I ever see about the Hunt family is his daughter who's all over Instagram. When you look at the Bills, like the Polygulas, I never hear or see from them the Lions. The only time that I think of the Ford family are like, my friends that drive F150s. My brother just got a new one. It's pretty sweet, actually. So to me, when your owner is obsessed with in, which is his, right, he was the guy with the enormous balls that risked it all back in the late 80s and bought the Cowboys, which is easy. And every loser says, like, oh, what an easy purchase. Easy to say 30 years later. @ the time, it was pretty crazy. But I do think, and I heard Jane Slater, who has covered the Cowboys forever, say that, you know, Jerry's not that big on paying assistant coaches and having a big coaching staff and paying scouts a lot of money. So while Jerry had enormous cojones and big balls to buy the Cowboys, and obviously it fed his ego and it turned him into this star and famous person, he still has some. Some of the wiring of the guy that bought the team that didn't have the cash. So when I read that, like, yeah, he doesn't love certain things when it comes to money, like, that's a problem. So it's like you're gonna be the superstar, but then also pinch pennies on little things. It's kind of embarrassing. And at this point, he's 80 plus years old. He's not changing. He is what he is. He acknowledged this year, like, I'm always going to be the gm essentially till I die or physically can't do it anymore. Cowboys are screwed. As long as he's around, it will not change. And it's taken me longer and I'm not in it. Like, some of you that are big fans, or even some of you, if you're an Eagle fan or you're a Giants fan or a Washington fan that play them all the time and feel really close to the Cowboys, we obviously on this show don't just talk about the Cowboys to talk about the Cowboys, like, definitely some television shows do. But it's just not going to work. And we have a long line of evidence. But I think these last six, seven days were pretty embarrassing for the franchise. And if I was a fan, I'd be like, yeah, John, this is. We always do this dumb shit. We did it with Jason Garrett. And one thing he's clearly obsessed with, which I understand, is to, like, have a homegrown guy and make him your head coach, because he looks back. And Sean Payton was once working for the Cowboys. And Sean Payton got away and went to New Orleans and became a star. Dan Campbell was a former Cowboy player who was Bill Parcell's guy and now is a coaching star. He literally tried to do that with Jason Garrett, thinking Jason Garrett was like his Shanahan, his McVeigh, his Dan Campbell. Like, that was his guy, homegrown. And it didn't work. Why? Because Jason Garrett's not that good. He's actually a sneaky, cocky, arrogant guy for a very, very average coach. And he's like this highly educated Ivy League guy who, when you watched his teams, did not feel that innovative or that much smarter than the opponent. I forget the school Belichick went to, like Wesleyan, but when you watch Belichick, you always felt like, is he the smartest guy in the NFL? That's why Vrabel became a coaching star. He's just Ohio State meathead who's clearly pretty fucking smart. Do you know who never tells me how smart they are? Mike Vrabel. And I think what Bob Kraft just did with Mike Vrabel felt very organic, right? He was available. He tried to do it With Mayo, like, they're very desperate to have their own guy. Because I understand this. If put yourself in their shoes, if you're worth billions of dollars, it's very hard to trust. And I think you see so many teams hire the wrong coach who then you fall out of favor with, he's not good enough. And it just gets really, really ugly fast. But when you know the guy, it's much easier to deal with him. Right? And that's what Jerry had, the relationship with Jason Garrett. It just turned out Jason Garrett wasn't even nearly as good as Mike McCarthy. But now when I read a story that Jerry wanted to have Jason whitten on Mike McCarthy staff so he could be the heir apparent, you need these things to be organic, right? Like, when you look at the great Washington staff that gets. Anytime any one of these guys play each other, it always gets thrown up on television, right? Mike Shanahan hired Kyle Shanahan, who then hired LaFleur, McDaniel, McVeigh, like all these cats, right? And it just becomes like a huge deal. Like, look at what you had under your umbrella as a franchise. But it naturally happened. It wasn't one of those that, like, I knew all these guys were going to become a head coach because no one would have said that in 2012 or 2013. Just like, honestly, when the 49ers in 2018 were awful and headed to draft Nick Bosa, I wouldn't have been like, you know, who's got a bunch of future head coaches? The 49ers. Turns out they did. From Mike McDaniel to D'Amico, Ryan's to obviously Robert Sala had a ton of guys underneath, but no one thinks that at the time. But it organically happens. Like, there was a time when I bet people thought Sean Payton was impressive, but no one thought he would become what he became in New Orleans. I bet everyone around the Philadelphia Eagles in 1997 thought Jon Gruden was a young ascending coach, but didn't know 25 years later he would be the most famous coach you know, in the profession. Right. Obviously, a lot of that has to do with off the field, but he was the Monday Night football guy for 10 plus years. I don't even think hiring Jason Whitten to be on the staff is crazy. I remember when Jason Whitten was on television. It's like, this is not the right profession for him. He's not an entertainer. Drew Brees, same thing. Like, Drew, you're not an entertainer. You're a football guy. You belong in football, if you don't want to put in the hours as a coach, totally understand. Be like a team president. Be a football czar. Go run the Saints. I think that about Tom Brady. I think Tom Brady is destined to do what John Elway was for the Broncos. It's just in his blood. He's not good on television. Pains me to say that I like Tom Brady. Always been a huge fan. He's terrible on tv. I will die on that hill. Honestly, he's awful. He's unlistenable, which is sad, like, but honestly, not that shocking. This is not a skill that everyone has. Some guys are like, listen, say what you want about Gruden the coach and listen, it's more than up for debate. Is he that good or not? He's just a natural entertainer. It comes very natural to him. Even Tony Romo is very, very relatable. You know, he went through a rough stretch where I thought he got a little cheesy, but he's an easy listen. Tom is not. And I don't think that's necessarily going to change. Whenever I hear anyone say, like, he's gotten a lot better. Bullshit. I've tried. It's not good. But you know what Tom Brady's going to inevitably be. He's going to run the Raiders. And you know what? That's the right move. That's what he should be doing. That's his skill set. And Jason Whitten, when you watch them on tv, you're like, this is not for you, buddy. This is not working. And now he's a high school coach, and if he likes coaching, like, he could be a coach, but, like, Dan Campbell's a good example. Dan Campbell had to be assistant coach for a long time before he became an assistant head coach, before he became a head coach. You can't just all of a sudden become the heir and the heir apparent. We've seen that try to happen with, like, Gerard Mayo and Antonio Pierce, former players, former high level players, super bowl champs, and they were completely over their head. It's like, yeah, this is not going to work. So I think some of this stuff from Jerry, I think his heart's in the right place. I think he's trying to do the right thing, but he's, you can't force this stuff. It has to organically happen. And right now, nothing around the Cowboys feels natural, organic. And I think it starts and ends with him. And a lot of you guys have been saying that forever, and it's clear. It's very. It's Very evident right now that he's, he's the problem, which, which is usually how it ends for these old rich guys. Because it gets, they usually don't become more open minded. They don't. Usually don't. And rightfully so. Why, why would he. I mean, he's printing cash. I mean, when the reports come out, as part of the reason I saw Coward say this, that Matt Mosley told him that, you know, one of the reasons Jerry like was cool with getting rid of McCarthy is he felt like the fans were turning on them and there were empty seats, which I go, jerry, empty seats, full seats, who gives a shit? Worry about winning. The only thing that the seats, like you don't even make that much money on your seats. You've already sold the PSLs, right? If there's a couple empty seats, like that's a football problem. Because your football team sucks. But like if you win, people will show up and let's face it, you make the majority of your money from the television revenue anyway. So I just think Jerry is like living in the 80s, but he's got this modern day money and he's clearly, you know, obsessed with power and ego and he's 82 years old and usually that's a bad combination. NFL playoffs. We're talking about the NFL playoffs. You bet. We are. 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So LinkedIn data shows that 72% of small businesses using LinkedIn say that it helps them find high quality candidates. LinkedIn also lets you go beyond candidates who are actively applying. In a given week on LinkedIn, 171 million LinkedIn members aren't actively seeking jobs, but are open to new opportunities. So hire Smarter in the new year. Post your job for free@LinkedIn.com John that's LinkedIn.com Johan to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Picture this. You're halfway through a DIY car fix tools scattered everywhere, and boom. You realize you're missing a part. It's okay, because you know whatever it is, it's on ebay. They've got everything. Brakes, headlights, cold air intakes. Whatever you need. And it's guaranteed to fit. Which means no more crossing your fingers and hoping you ordered the right thing. All the parts you need at prices you'll love. Guaranteed to fit every time. Ebay Things people love Lately, on the.
- [26:17]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
NPR Politics podcast, we're talking about a big question. How much can one guy change?
- [26:23]
Jason Demers
They want change.
- [26:25]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
What will change look like for energy?
- [26:27]
Political Commentator
Drill baby Drill schools. Take the Department of Education. Close it.
- [26:32]
John Middlekoff
Health care Better and less expensive.
- [26:34]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
Follow coverage of a changing country.
- [26:36]
Political Commentator
Promises made, promises kept. We're going to keep our promises on.
- [26:40]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
The NPR Politics Podcast. Listen on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [26:47]
Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart is back at the Daily show, and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into John's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondents and contributors, and with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else ready to laugh and stay informed. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [27:31]
John Middlekoff
I want to end on this because I was watching TGL golf which is entertaining for about 20 minutes. Then it becomes kind of boring. But so I just had the television on ESPN and then it ended. Tigers team got demolished and the Duke game came on and it had already started. So when they changed the game was already a couple minutes in. And beside like Instagram highlights. I have never watched this Cooper flag guy play. I was actually in the car yesterday and I was flipping around the radio and I turned it to on serious like college. It's essentially college football radio. And Rick Neuheisel and a couple other guys were hosting a show and they had this one of the ACC network guys call in and they were talking football. But then this guy I think actually was calling the game last night for ACC radio maybe or I don't know. And he started talking about Colin Cooper flag's games and how he's. This guy's been around the ACC Durham for decades and say I think he's one of the best freshmen I've ever seen. He said he was the best ACC freshman he'd ever seen non center. And I was watching him like this guy's fucking incredible. And he's like, listen, people are going to think I'm nuts, but he can he throw. I think he's like Larry Bird. And you're watching him and you go, it's going to be impossible for this guy not to be a good NBA player. Like it's abs. The only way he could not be a good NBA player if he gets injured. Like the only way Zion was going to fail is the way he's failed. He gets injured and he gets fat and lazy, right? But it's not his talent, his ability. If he's healthy and just in shape, he scores 25, 30 points, no problem. And like you watch Zion in college, it was like this. It's going to be impossible for him to fail in football. That does not happen. Right. Because if it did, Trevor Lawrence would be a top 10 quarterback. There are so many other variables. You know the one just the level of competition you have in college to who's going to be your coach, who's going to be the play caller, what's your organization, who's your roster? It's why when I saw the headline that seven of the eight of these quarterbacks are first rounders and obviously Goff and Stafford are number one overall picks Jaden and CJ or number two overall picks? Mahomes was 10, Josh Allen was seven. Lamar had this like crazy drop and he still was a first rounder. To me, Jalen was the craziest draft pick of them all because I thought when how he did, I thought it was insane. To me, Jalen was like a 5th round pick. Honestly, I thought he was a running back coming out of college. But good move by Howie saved the franchise. They were able to get rid of of Carson Wentz because of it. But I think it shows you and this is why the pressure whenever I say, you know, quarterback inflation's going to end. No, it's not. It's really not. Because no one knows. You have absolutely no clue. It's so easy. Like Patrick Mahomes. It felt like two teams really liked him when he was coming out of college. Andy Reid, Sean Payton, half the league thought he was like the most overrated prospect of all time. Honestly, I thought Jaden Daniels, I'm like, I don't know, man. And you watch him, you're like, this guy's incredible. And I think universally around the league, if you did a redraft most, there's no way you could take Caleb Williams over Jaden Daniels. Doesn't mean he's going to be better forever. But Bryce Young, incredible comeback story. No one would take him over CJ Surround. So the power of a quarterback, it changes your franchise. A coach and a quarterback change your franchise. But when it comes to Shador, when it comes to Cam Ward, when it comes to the next crop of quarterbacks over the next several years, we have absolutely no clue. None. I mean, I always thought not. He's way worse than I thought he'd be. But I did think Trevor Lawrence, like being compared to Andrew Luck. I remember thinking that was pretty crazy. But I remember two of my close buddies in the NFL that do that area, like, couldn't have loved him anymore. So I'm like, yeah, I just, I'll come along with it. Awesome. This guy's going to be, this guy's going to be an elite player. And you watch him. You're like, I don't know, man. Hell, even Doug Peterson last year at the combine, I remember bullshitting with him. And Doug loved him. Doug's like, I, this guy's a player, man. Listen, say what you want about Doug the coach. Doug played quarterback in the league for over a decade, was around Dan Marino and Brett Favre, like that's who he backed up. Dan Marino, Brett Favre. So I would say Doug Peterson has a pretty good idea and he took Nick Foles, who outdoed Tom Brady in a Super bowl, pretty good idea. What quarterback play looks like. You can be fooled at any moment, at any moment we're in basketball. It's like no Cooper flag. As long as he doesn't eat himself out of the NBA or tear some knee up, is going to be an all Star. That is a 100% lock where if you tell me right now Cam Ward goes number one overall, I could be like, he could make four Pro Bowls or he could not get his fifth year option picked up and be out of the league in five years. We just saw Zach Wilson, who Chris Sims. And a bunch of people are like, he's got an Aaron Rodgers level skill set. Joe Douglas, who was making $6 million a year to be a GM who had won multiple Super Bowls with the Ravens and the Eagles, been to Super Bowls and won them as an executive, picked him number two overall. I mean he's going to be, he'll be on his, I don't know, third team in five years next year, assuming the Broncos don't bring him back as the backup where he was not the backup this year. He was a third stringer. I just think it's fascinating and it's never going to change. It is by far the hardest position to scout. Even some of the other positions, like, yeah, I think Asian Genti should be a several time Pro Bowler. Would it shock me if he's actually kind of overrated? Yeah, potentially. I mean wouldn't, I wouldn't be floored if you tell me, you know what, Genti is just okay in the NFL because I could see the, the argument. Three years in fact. Well, you know, he played the Mountain West. Just doesn't quite translate. You know, the SEC schedule was a little different. The guy from Iowa turned out to be way better. No one has any clue, right? No one does. Like Abdul Carter, I would say I have a hard time seeing that guy not be good. But like, what if he's got shoulder problems? What if it just never works? I don't know. And that's the hard part about football is like injuries are such a big part of it. It's just fascinating, man. And I love the draft and I love talking about this stuff, but every year is like, these guys can't miss. Like, yeah, I think Tyler Warren, this guy's an awesome tight end prospect. How fast is he, Is he going to be able to get open on people non stop or is it not going to matter because he's 6 foot 6. Can you just play basketball literally over every DB and linebacker's head? Maybe. Or maybe that speed, I don't know. I, and I like all these guys I'm listing off. But I've liked a lot of players. Like, a lot of people watch them in college and they get to the NFL, it's like, yeah, that kind of sucks. And this guy no one thought was going to be good ends up becoming like, makes $100 million in the NFL. No one's talking about Puka Nakua. And now you watch Puka Nakua, you're like, he's one of the best players in the NFL. That's how fast it happens. Jared Verse, everyone. Last year it's like, yeah, I don't know. He's just a power guy from Albany. Now it's like, shit, Jared Verse, how good? How high is this guy? Ceiling. Does this guy have a chance to be like a Hall of Famer? That's how fast it changes. Picture this. You're halfway through a DIY car fix, tools scattered everywhere, and boom, you realize you're missing a part. It's okay because, you know, whatever it is, it's on ebay. They've got everything. Brakes, headlights, cold air intakes, whatever you need. And it's guaranteed to fit. Which means no more crossing your fingers and hoping you ordered the right thing. All the parts you need at prices you'll love. Guaranteed to fit every time. Ebay. Things people love Lately on the NPR.
- [35:45]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
Politics podcast, we're talking about a big question. How much can one guy change?
- [35:51]
Jason Demers
They want change.
- [35:52]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
What will change look like for energy?
- [35:55]
Political Commentator
Drill baby. Drill schools. Take the Department of Education. Close it. Health care better and less expensive.
- [36:01]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
Follow coverage of a changing country.
- [36:04]
Political Commentator
Promises made, promises kept. We're going to keep our promises on.
- [36:07]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
The NPR Politics podcast. Listen on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [36:14]
Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart is back at the Daily show, and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into John's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports, and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondents and contributors, and with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed, listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [36:53]
Adnan Virk
What's up, everybody? Adnan Vir here to tell you about a new podcast from iHeart podcast in the National Hockey League, it's NHL unscripted with Virk and Demers.
- [37:01]
Jason Demers
Hey, I'm Jason Demers, former 700 game NHL defenseman turned NHL Network analyst and boy oh boy, does daddy have a lot to say.
- [37:10]
Adnan Virk
I love you by the way on NHL Network, we're looking forward to getting together each week to chat and chirp about the sport and all the other things surrounding it that we love. Right?
- [37:18]
Jason Demers
Yeah, I just met you today, but we're going to have a ton of guests from the colliding worlds of hockey, entertainment and pop culture. And you know what, tons of back and forth on all things NHL.
- [37:28]
Adnan Virk
Yeah, you're going to soon going to find out we're not just hockey talk. We get all kinds of random stuff on this podcast. Movies, television, food, wrestling, even the stuff that you wear on NHL.
- [37:38]
Jason Demers
Now you wish you could pull off my short shorts. Ferky.
- [37:41]
Adnan Virk
That's sure to cause a ruckus. Listen to NHL Unscripted with Burkin Demers, the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [37:59]
John Middlekoff
Here's the game plan. Little Middle Coff Mailbag at John Middlekoff. At John Middlekoff. That'd be my name. Two Fs. Fire in those Dms. It's just my Instagram account. Fire in my Instagram account and get your question answered here on the show. We will start with Santee Question for the bag. As a Bears fan, I was hoping that we'd hire Ben Johnson. I think the fact that Brady is calling the Lions game is a much bigger story than it's being made out to be. Is it an overreaction or do you, as I do, look at Brady's history of being willing to do anything to win as a big red flag. I think he means a red flag for the bear skinning Ben Johnson. Well, this is a massive story. Mike Florio has been writing about this left and right and I think big picture, this has got to be something that if you're an NFL team like this Brady conflict of interest, if they end up landing Ben Johnson is going to become a bigger and bigger story. And it's why I think all signs, I don't know what year it happens. I mean, by all accounts it's not going to happen right now, but lead to the inevitability of Tom Brady becoming the version of John Elway was at Denver and then just continuing to purchase Vegas stock as Mark Davis ages and just becomes like, I don't know, the Jerry Jones of the Raiders. But you know, there was a report by Vic Tafer, who I've known forever, who covers the Raiders, that said, you know, this started, I think it was week eight or nine, Brady called one of the Lions games and that's when he first met him. And they talked and ironically about this matchup is, you know, one advantage the Raiders have, they don't have a gm. You guys have a GM who's not getting fired. Right. And all these other teams have GMs that have coaching openings. I guess the jets don't, but he doesn't want the jets job. Well, the assistant GM to Adam Peters of Washington who is playing the Lions is a guy that spent like two decades with the Lions and I guess is close with Ben Johnson. I don't, I forget the guy's name, but he's Adam Peters, right hand guy with the Commanders. So it's like is Brady talking to him too? And this is a thing where it gets weird, you know. And I think if Ben Johnson ultimately goes to the Raiders, which I wouldn't have told you, would have been a possibility four or five days ago. But reading the the report today from Tafer on the athletic on the Raiders, how this is going to gain steam and Tom Brady is going to be the guy that closes the deal. And their big advantage is he can bring a GM that's a buddy of his and they can just kind of do it from scratch. That's not the case with the Bears. I mean, that is one thing that hinders the Bears. I would say sitting here Wednesday, January 15 I think Mike McCarthy is a very, very realistic hire for you guys. I'd say Mike McCarthy, Aaron Glenn. I would say the difference of like Mike McCarthy and Aaron Glenn. I think Aaron Glenn's really impressive. If I'm the Bears, I would want someone with someone experience like I would want someone who's been a head coach before. I think the jets kind of want that too though. I mean, can they do better in Aaron Glenn? I guess they could hire Pete Carroll, but he's already been the coach there years ago. So I think that's a big, big factor.
- [41:23]
Political Commentator
Right.
- [41:23]
John Middlekoff
If Ben Johnson ends up with the Raiders, man, be a nice little coup for Mark Davis. Big fan for the next mailbag. This from Brian, longtime Giants fan since the Eli Manning days. Many would say the good old days, it's been tough. Does Brian Dayball survive another season if we draft Travis Hunter and convert him to wide receiver to pair with Neighbors and go 3 and 14 and try to trade up for Arch? Yeah, I Don't. I think these guys need to win. And John Morrow's press conference, it looked like in the bubble. I don't even know if it was a press conference, but he obviously shot the shit with some of the reporters a couple days after it was reported. Maybe it was the day after that those guys were returning and said, like, he's trying to have patience, but he's running out. I think there was a ton of, ton of pressure on the Giants and I just don't know what they do at a quarterback honestly. Help finding a mentor. Been a big fan, best analyst in the game. I like this guy. I'm currently working for something in Tennessee and love it. But media and podcasts is the dream. One of my goals in this new year is to find a mentor to help and or provide wisdom. You're definitely at the top of the list, but with the business and all, I'm sure you're way too busy. So I wanted to ask if you know anyone else in the industry that may be open to helping out a kid with passion. I would just give you some big picture advice. I think, you know, I think when you're young and hungry and you have dreams, it is hard in specific industries. Like, if you wanted to be a head coach in college football, like, it'd be very easy to just find people on that specific path. Like, go meet some coaches and ask them, like, how they did it and what path you should take, because it hasn't really changed. But I would say, like a mentor and advice. In, like, this profession, there is not a direct path and you could talk to 15 different people and they'd all give you a different route. I think the key is just the faster you get involved. If you want to work in the industry, get your foot in the door and then just figure it out from there. Obviously, once your foot's in the door and once you kind of figure out what you like, that is a way to attack. But like, I think a generality, like, I want to get in the podcast business. Like, do you want to host a podcast? Do you want to run a podcast company? Do you want to produce a podcast? Like, what do you specifically want to do? And you might not even know until you start doing it and kind of figure it out. So we had a saying at the Harvard of the West. I don't even. I feel like that's not even the right thing to say anymore. Let's say Michigan of the West, Cal Poly. We learn by doing. And I think that's the quickest way of a fluid business like this media, slash podcasting is there's so, like, it could be dramatically different in three years where coaching and football. I'm just using that as an example, like, there's going to be head coach, there's going to be court, like, it's not going to change. I got no clue where this is headed and I will just adapt and change on the fly. So, like, there's no human being I could go to for advice right now in what I'm doing beside, like, I guess people that run big podcasts, but even they'd be the first to tell you, like, I bet you get Joe Rogan on the horn, like, what do you think podcasts are going to look like in five years? I don't think he'd know the answer. He might have some ideas, but. So I think the fastest thing you need to try to do, you know, is either if you want to host, to start doing some stuff, if you want to produce, like, start reaching out to people and just try to get your foot in the door. But I think that's a huge key, is just you got to start messing around and figure out what you like. Big fan from Australia. I love listening, talking about football as a Chargers fan, it's infuriating listening to people in the media talk about Herbert. The stuff that gets said exposes people that don't see Herbert. Elevate guys like Quinn Johnson and Will Disley every week, only for them to completely shit the bed in the biggest spot. The one that pissed me off was listening to Nick Wright this week say Herbert was bad in the Raiders Week 18 game in 2021, when in reality he was automatic for the whole second half and had to overcome that genius Brandon Staley. I wonder how many of these people on TV actually watch all the games or they are just spewing garbage. When it comes to smaller teams like the Chargers, I can't speak to who's watching and who's not watching. I can't speak to. When you have an opinion in this business, you want to be right. And when you lean a certain way in terms of I think this guy's a good player. I think this guy's a good bad player. When you get moments that validate your take, you're going to double down on it. And if you say that if you're one of those people, and a lot of people have done this, that Justin Herbert's really overrated, that when that moment happens in the playoff game, that is a fucking party for your take I mean, that is, you know, like when they ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange or that first make out you have with a girlfriend. I mean, that. That is. That is doesn't get any better than that. Honestly, makeouts understand. A moment like that if you're Justin Herbert is like incredible sex. I mean, that is food to the soul, baby. So you get to come on podcast, host, tv, whatever you do, and just annihilate them and say, see, I told you. This guy sucks. He's got the physical gifts, he throws some touchdowns and in games in October and November, but he's got two playoff games and he shit the bed in the second half. Three years ago. Yeah, he had one of the worst head coaches we've ever seen. You know, like a more articulate Jim Tomsula. And then threw four touchdown or four interceptions or five interceptions or whatever. The total turned out to be pick six and could have been multiple pick sixes. Honestly was kind of shocked Stingley got tackled on the one. Felt like he was. I don't want to say he was lollygagging, but I think he thought he could make it. And then who was it? That was it J.K. dobbins. Someone caught him. At one moment I thought he was going to score, but that's the way the business works. You know, I personally don't care. Like, if I thought, like, I think Herbert's good, I'm not going to change because he has one bad game. I think Brock Purdy is a good player, but I also have reservations of how much I got to pay the guy. I think a lot of people, you know, that are in this business understand the game. I mean, it's part of the gig. But I'm with you. Like, I remember watching that game against the Raiders where the Raiders won. I thought Herbert was pretty good in that game. I remember there being some big drops. That was a moment. It's like, this guy's fucking awesome again. Also, who are we comparing him to? Look, is he Patrick Mahomes? Of course not. Would you take him over Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen? No, he's good. Got a question. Should the Steelers really consider signing Sam Darnold or at least taking a flyer on JJ McCarthy? They literally never make it to a top 10 draft pick in second part. Should the 49ers consider drafting Ashton Genty to be behind CMC and have a deadly duo like the Detroit Lions? Everybody was confused with the Lions when they drafted Gibbs, and now he's easily a top five back beside Najee Harris. Every running back that was drafted in the first round these past five years has been awful. I don't think JJ McCarthy is going to be available. I think there's probably a 50, 50 chance that they just let Sam Donald walk. Who knows? Might be higher than that after those two games. I think the Steelers would be high on drugs if they didn't entertain signing Sam Darnold. Sam Darnold just threw 35 touchdowns and like made some huge plays in games. I know he struggled down the stretch, so I think that limits how much you could get get him for. But can you get him for like Geno Smith money? Can you get him for Baker Mayfield money? I think you would have to entertain it now. I also think you should, you know, you should definitely question it and have long conversations about it. But what are your options? That's my question with the Steelers. What are their options? They're not resigning. Russell Wilson? No chance. They clearly don't like Justin Fields as a thrower. They're not drafting very high in this quarterback class. Does not look great. You can't sign Kirk Cousins. He can't move. And playing him in the cold does not seem like a good idea. Aaron Rodgers, but what's that? I mean, the ultimate band aid. That could be a disaster. Their options are pretty limited and I would say on the 49ers, 100% they cannot draft Ashton Genti. 1. Kyle Shanahan gets running backs injured. By the time week 18, they were on like their seventh running back of the season. Mason hurt. Isaac Guerindo hurt. McCaffrey hurt. Now, was that Kyle's fault? Maybe not directly, but indirectly, Kyle Shanahan wouldn't take him out of games. Last year, every running back Kyle Shanahan's ever had, they always get injured. Always. He runs them into the ground. So I would draft the offensive or defensive lineman high. And with my second round pick, I would draft an offensive defensive lineman. My first two picks, 11 and pick 43. I'm taking no lineman. I'm taking a D lineman or I'm taking a D lineman, then I'm taking an old lineman. I'm not taking a running back. 49ers should not take a running back. Honestly, the only skill position I would take would be a tight end in Tyler Warren. That'd be the only one I would entertain. I completely agreed with your analysis on the pedestrian drunk Madden play. Calling from the Vikings didn't help Darnold out at all. My question what 49ers free agents outside of Purdy and Greenlaw are the most important for them to bring back. Well, it's funny we talk about Brock Purdy's contract. He is not a free agent. Brock Purdy has another year under contract and obviously at his position, if worst case he would get franchised. So there is zero free agency in sight for Brock Purdy. Dre Greenlaw is complicated because he tore his Achilles and he tried to come back and back to back games he got injured so I would bring him back. But it's the shitty part about the NFL. Sometimes your body goes and it just never comes back. Tyler. No Tyler. Noah Hufunga, the USC kind of hybrid linebacker, safety. He plays safety for the Niners. But I think coming out people thought he was a linebacker's wife fell. He's. It's those three guys. But again it's not three because Purdy's not a free agent. I'm not sure where all the doom and gloom surrounding Jordan Love has come from. I get it. He was atrocious against the Eagles, but Favre and Rodgers both had some terrible playoff games. Is it fair to say some Packer fans need to pump the brakes on the hate? Despite the injuries and the quote, quote unquote bad play, Love still had the fifth highest QBR in the league two years in a row. Making the playoffs with the youngest team in the NFL. Not sure how many Packer. Why Packer fans have turned on the guy. Well, I mean far have earned equity really, really fast. It was clear, it was awesome. You guys went to the super bowl, won it. He was winning MVPs. I think Aaron Rodgers proved really fast. He was awesome. I mean the moment he kind of began starting, he was kind of good and then really quick won a Super Bowl. I think people were so high on him and everyone gave him the benefit of the doubt and then when he got injured and it was just all over the map. But I hear you. To me, the number one key for Jordan Love in 2025 is just be healthy. Like look at Jared Goff, which is healthy all season, played well. Sam Darnold, healthy all season, played well. You know when you get banged up, it can kind of derail you. And he got injured week one and honestly it just the whole season got off kilter. I think anytime you lose in the playoffs and expectations were high, people get emotional sports because the Packers, I get it. It doesn't necessarily matter because he's not. It's not like he's going anywhere. From Jeff, thank you for rocking with us through the flu. That shit is hard I hear a lot of people that are just sick right now. Whatever. The thing is going around, the Josh Allen, Herbert conversation has me thinking, who are the best five to 10 quarterback arms you've seen? Prime high end power. Forget the picks. For me, based off what I've seen in my 20 years of watching the league, I'd go Mahomes, Allen, Favre, Rogers, Vick, Stafford, Marino, Herbert, Jamis, Luck. I would say Josh, I would take. I would put Josh Allen above Mahomes. I would tend to put far of one. Anyone that played against Marino had him really, really high. I think Marino and Elway had special arm talent. I think Favre is kind of viewed as like the Nolan Ryan of throwers. I think Rogers had a pretty special arm. I think Rogers could really, really sling it. I think Mike Vick had a strong arm. He had an incredible deep ball and the power in which he could throw the ball 60, 70 yards was pretty unreal. So I would say last 20 years, Favre, Rogers, Mahomes, Allen. I'm not going in any specific order. You know, Vick was pretty special. Stafford's a pretty good one. Mahomes, Herbert. I wouldn't put Luck or Jameis on their level. Kaepernick, he hurt his thumb and his arm was never quite the same after a couple years, but he didn't know where it was going and he didn't have any touch. But his fastball. He made a throw one time in Tampa Bay where he threw it like 60 yards on the run to Vernon Davis, like scrambling. It's like one of the best passes I've ever seen. Kaepernick, underrated. Absolute fucking hose watching since you started. And I'm fine with waiting a year on Brock Purdy. Makes no sense to pay him early. But why does the media, and you included, want to lick the sweat off Kyle Shanahan's balls? His passing game sucks. His O line is horrible. He has no depth because he wanted Trey Lance this year. He takes a kicker in the third round who sucks. But yeah, all Purdy's fault. Yeah, I'm not Kyle Shanahan. An awful year. No disputing it. And his passing game has to change. Starts with his offensive lineman. He doesn't care about offensive lineman because he thinks they don't matter in the passing game because he wants to avoid it by running the ball. Like we've talked about this over and over. But like Purdy, success is also tied to Kyle. So like when Purdy's good, Kyle's good. And most people think that if Purdy left Kyle he wouldn't be nearly as good and people wouldn't want him. So it's like they're kind of directly correlated. But I've also seen Kyle win a bunch of games with Jimmy Garoppolo. Turns out his average is the day is long on his good day question on Kellen Moore. A few reporters seem to have been pegged as the future head coach. Everything I've seen, he seems to run the most average offenses wherever he goes. Cowboys weren't great with him, Chargers were terrible and Philly has decided to ignore the receiving room. As good as Barkley is, seems to be overworked. Well, I think that's more of a reflection if you want to crush him on the Herbert situation. Herbert and the offense was not good. I don't see A.J. brown blaming Kellen Moore. I see A.J. brown reading that novel. So he doesn't throw a football at Jalen's face. Like Jalen's not an easy guy to coach. He's just not. Why? Because he's not a great pocket passer. So your passing game, it's difficult to run. They have a great offensive line and elite running back and a running quarterback. So I think he's done a good job in Philly. Quarterback is not easy to deal with. The Cowboy thing, they got better with Mike and the Charger thing. But I to me, Philly, he's done a good job. I think a huge thing with Kellen is like Jerry likes him. Jerry thought he was his guy. And I think if you were a betting man, the safest pick would be Kellen Moore as the next head coach of the Cowboys. Have a mailbag question for you. I keep hearing the media talk about Fields and Russ in the same context. Like the Steelers don't have a viable quarterback, but why not run it back with Fields next year? He watched Russ manage the offense for the majority of the year and he obviously has way more potential and upside. If he improves, I don't see any point in thinking they will draft a quarterback in this year's draft. If Fields is bad, great, they will have a better shot at drafting the guy next year. But if he's good, they can save time instead of messing around. Kent, I hear you. They had them all season long and down the stretch of their season their offense was a disaster. And Russell for the most part beside I feel like the last month of the season probably less than 20 passes was not good. Why would they have not if they thought this guy could play put him in the game. They don't think he's good. Like, I don't care. I'm with you. I would have liked to see him like, Russell was not giving them any juice. Put Justin in. They refused. Mike refused. And Mike's the guy. Remember when he made Russell Wilson the starter? People thought he was kind of crazy. I thought he was crazy. So Mike Tomlin does not think Fields is that good. I think that's pretty clear. Whether he's right or not, I would say it's hard to say he's wrong. As a Patriots fan, I've grown up seeing a lot of success with Tom and Bill. Yes, you have. However, the last two years obviously sucked. My friends say the Patriots are a poorly run franchise, while you have teams like the Jets, Bears and Raiders who are complete circuses and have been for essentially my whole life. My question to you, how well run are the Patriots in general compared to the rest of the NFL? I saw Dan Campbell at a good quote. He said, the circus is about to start and it's our time to perform. I would say we are going to find out because for 20 years you had a head coach who did everything. He was the general manager. He basically ran your salary cap. He just handled it all. And I don't think we'll ever see another coach like Bill who is that involved with everything. He essentially operates like these college coaches do. And you saw this year, clearly everything fell apart. Gerard was over his head. But I. I think the Patriots weren't as equipped to handle like, Bill could do it all right. He could help out any coach. He could help out any position. He was the personnel director in the sense of like, there was no player on the team or cut from the team or traded to the team or signed to the team or drafted the team that wasn't under his watch. And I think once you start splitting those things up, it's like then Jonathan Kraft tries to get involved. Now you get a real coach. We'll see. I don't know because, like, what did Robert Kraft really do? He gets credit for hiring Bill, but then he hired a guy who could do everything. And then they drafted the greatest quarterback of all time. So basically Tom and Bill could handle it all. I guess it's a long winded way of saying, I don't really know. I would assume that you guys are going to be well run moving forward, but what if your owners are just kooky and Bill had so much juice because he won the three Super Bowls so fast, he didn't have to listen to Any of them. What if they're like all. What if they got a bunch of opinions from variable and variable hates it? I wouldn't, I would guess that's not going to happen, but who knows? Question for the pod. Do you think that with all the focus on how bad Darnold was in the game, people glossed over how good Stafford was? I hear some media people trying to act like he's not that great and I just don't know how you can have that opinion. I know he slowed down after they got up, but early in the game he looked awesome. It was almost like how not to handle pressure as a quarterback, video watching him or how to and how not to him versus Arnold. I know the Rams offense hasn't been great since the Bills game, but Stafford, when he's hot, feels like the only quarterback in the NFC that could win a shootout with these AFC guys. To me, I love Stafford in the dome. Big game. McVeigh Stafford Dome. It's going to be pretty interesting this week. I haven't checked the weather in Philly, but I would imagine it's not going to be warm. If he could win this game and get back to the dome against the Lions and then you get a dome in the super bowl, you would like his chances. I would say Stafford is the one guy that if he's on, can just have a game where he's every bit as good as like Mahomes. He's obviously doesn't run like Lamar Josh, but just who can just dominate like an elite player. Happens fewer now than it did a couple of years ago because he's older and a little more banged up. But. And again, like he was, he was just in complete control of that game. He's, he's an all time great talent. He's an all time great talent who didn't really get the chance to maximize his career till his mid-30s and now, I mean, who knows? Like it's, it's hard for him to just string together good games just because 30 was 36 years old. I mean the crazy thing about Stafford, I'm pretty sure he came in the league at like 20. Stafford is, I mean he's close to my age. He will be, I mean he'll be 37 here in a less than a month, but yeah, still a dude. In fairness to Stafford, like there aren't any questions to be answered. I think part of the reason Sam Darnold takes up all the oxygen is like Stafford's already won a Super Bowl. He's already been to how many Pro Bowls? Stafford's only a two time Pro Bowler. Seems a little crazy, but we all view him as like one of the best players or one of the better players of his generation, made all the money, won playoff games. I don't think he has anything left to prove. That game was all about Sam Darnold. It's just whether you're in the media, whether you're talking with your buddies like that's. Whether you do a podcast, whatever, like that's. That was the story of the game and I think it's fair. Would you trade the number three overall pick for JJ McCarthy considering the lack of top end quarterback talent this year? No, I would not. Assuming quarterbacks go one and two, I'd rather have Travis Hunter. This notion that J.J. mcCarthy and he might be Harbaugh loved him but it's just going to be some top 10 quarterback. I mean we got a lot unknown. Never had to pass that much in college. Carried by a defense in a run game. Obviously has ability but we have no clue. He never had to do it in college. We have no clue if he can do in the NFL. Tore his knee, had to have another knee surgery. Lost a bunch of weight. If he is the starter next year, there is going to be. It would have been easier if he was healthy just for him to start this year because the expectations were low next year if he becomes the starter and they let Darnold walk, it's like hey man, better leads to the playoffs. Anything less than the playoffs for the Vikings would be a massive, massive failure. You don't need to win 13 games, 14 games, but like can we win 10 games and be the 7 seed? That would be minimum or it'd be a problem. So the pressure on the guys on the kid is going to be massive. Over the last two years I've seen David Shaw's name come up in head coaching interviews these past two cycles. Given your ties to the Bay Area, curious your opinion of him as not only a head coaching candidate but maybe as an OC in the future. I had, whenever I would talk with him, he was always really cool to me. I liked the guy a lot. I think toward the end of Stanford, the last couple of years it just looked, it was really, really ugly and specifically offensively and it just felt like a guy that was lost and I think sometimes in coaching he 100% could have been an NFL coach, I don't know less than 10 years ago. I'm let me pull up his wiki. He had a stretch at Stanford where they were so good after hardball. So basically he takes over for Jim in 2011 and goes 11 and 2, 12 and 2, 11 and 3, 8 and 5, 12 and 2. So that 12 and 2 season when they win the Rose bowl, pretty sure that's Christian McCaffrey's year in 2015 where they destroy Iowa. He probably should have jumped at the chance because then after 17 and 18, we're still good. 9 and 5, 9 and 4. His last five years or four years at Stanford were rough. 4 and 8, 20 doesn't even count. 3 and 9, 3 and 9. I mean they finished in basically dead last in the Pac 12 in 2022. And then he gets. Doesn't coach in 23 or 24 and now he just kind of helps out the Broncos. So his star diminished and then he's just kind of been out of the loop. I think it'd be hard. You'd be hard pressed to hire him to be your offensive coordinator. I think some Stanford fans would say, I mean, which I appreciate. And there are elements of this level of football or this type of football that I love at the highest levels. Very old school offensive game plans. I mean he's. You think Harbaugh runs an old school offense? I think David Shaw is even more old school than that. And I think his last year at Stanford, he. I forget the name of the guy, but he hired a, an offensive coordinator I think from Wake Forest and they tried to like implement the spread. I just think he was lost and it really backfired. So I think he's really smart. He's just a high level cat, but I'd be hard pressed. I don't think he's going to get a head coaching job. And as an oc, like I think the game has changed a lot. Like in his heyday, 10 years ago when Stanford was kicking everyone's ass, it was essentially post Andrew Locke, the run game and defense. And the difference of him and Harbaugh is Harbaugh never really stopped winning. Harbaugh didn't have back to back three, nine seasons. Like you do that and you're old school, it can just fall apart. But in an interview setting, I mean, he's fucking smart. Like you talk to him. I've always said this about Stanford guys and I always said this like when I was scouting at Stanford and listen, I grew up and went to some camps as a kid, like went to a basketball camp and I think I went, I went to a golf camp at Stanford when I was like 10, 11 years old. Even though my dad was a big cow guy because that's where his dad, you know, taught growing up. Stanford is a badass place and it's got to have the most unique ability to find like the elite athletes at all the sports. I mean, basketball, football and basketball are down right now, but when they're rolling that are just really, really high level dudes. I mean, I just remember walking around the campus, you just feel the intellectual energy. But like at the time when I was scouting, I mean they were dominating. They were going to the Rose bowl and producing NFL guy after NFL guy. Then you go to the cafeteria and it'd be like Michael Phelps Jr. And like the star soccer player and like the next Tiger Woods. Like, this place is sweet with like, oh yeah, that guy. He runs a $300 million company and that's the head of this company in Silicon Valley. He's coming to meet with some, some dude here. It's just a, it's a powerful place. Stanford is cool, as if you love golf. They got their own golf course. All their facilities, they're better now than they were then. But you know, back in the day, the super bowl in the Bay Area used to be hosted there. I think the 49ers in the 80s won a Super bowl at Stanford Stadium. Big fan of the show. Question, pretty contract discourse is really frustrating to me. Not because quote unquote, does he deserve it? He's getting paid. So that point is moved. The most frustrating part of the discussion to me has been the complete lack of nuance in the narrative surrounding the quarterback contracts. The media perpetuates the idea that all Those quote unquote $50 million quarterback contracts are the same. Jalen and Dak are both $50 million quarterbacks, but Hurts cap hit is $21 million and Dax is 89.9. The 49ers are carrying over 50 million in cap space for 25, most in the national Football League. Most projections have Purdy's cap hit at around or under $15 million. So in the first year of the extension, putting him beneath Baker Mayfield and Geno Smith at 18. So the idea that they extend him with a market rate contract. See my conversation, I, I hear what you're saying And I, the 49ers could give him $100 million or $800 million or 500 million. I, I don't give a shit how much any of these guys make. All I, I celebrate guys getting cash in every walk of life. This, this is a pro celebration of success in, in any industry. You're in. But in football, how you build the team matters. And initially I hear what you're saying right now, Purdy's contract is the best benefit in the NFL because it's like a $1 million cap. So even if he gets an extension, he goes to $15 million. True. But over the next several years, if they give him, let's say, $180 million guaranteed, that number does rise, as you see with these other quarterbacks and it puts pressure on him to be a high end guy. So yeah, next year, really the next couple years, not a crazy impact, but eventually. And it just, you know, the signing bonus, that's Jed York's money, which is not even his money comes from the league. It's all monopoly money. It doesn't matter anyway. So I hear you. I don't question it. I don't care about any of that shit. I go, well, if you do give this guy a ton of money over the course of this contract, he better be a pro bowl guy in like 3 or 4 years. And can you put the franchise on his back? Could he have played quarterback for the Chargers this year and could they have won 11 games? Could they have been in the playoffs? Is he good enough? Because there will be a time when that will be what your team looks like because of his contract. Patrick Mahomes, like they had a trade Tyree Kill. Then they hit on some draft picks, but offensively their offensive line this year was pretty questionable. Their running back broke his leg. They've gone through a ton of receivers with injuries and a lot of injuries. And Travis for a large portion of the season kind of looked old and just old. He's gotten looks a little younger lately. But like, can you carry me like that? And listen, we all know Purdy's not Mahomes, but once you start paying these contracts like the Eagles eventually are going to have to make a couple cap decisions because of Jalen's contract. That's always the conversation. So if I'm maxing out a quarterback, whether it's Jalen, whether it's golf, like can this guy one day carry me? And maybe the answer for 90% of them is no. But you don't have a choice. I'm a Bengals fan. After watching the absolute mid off wild guard weekend in the afc, it's hard not to think about Burrow, Chase and T could have done in the first round. The defense improved down the stretch due to younger players getting to start, specifically the D line. Do you think the Bengals could have threatened the Ravens, Bills and Texans. The pure meltdown of the Steelers, Chargers and Broncos was embarrassing. I don't think they would have beat the Ravens. I think the Ravens in Baltimore beating Cincinnati, even though I know you guys had some great games this year, I'm taking Baltimore in that spot. They 100% could have beaten Houston, you know, in a coin flip game. And who's the other team? Buffalo. More likely to be Buffalo because we're going to find out how good their defense is this year. I still think Buffalo probably beat you. I think the one team you could have beat is Houston. The problem is you weren't going to be the 5 seed. I think part of your problem is this is a big off season. You know, do they sign or make any big trades? Who's their defensive coordinator? Like, I hear what you're saying, but you guys kind of put yourself in that position just like the Steelers. Like, the other reason they were the wild card and didn't win the division is because like they blew the Cleveland game and they let Dak Prescott drive down the field and have a walk off touchdown. Was that Sunday or Monday Night Football? Was that Thursday Night Football? I forget. But you win one of those games, like you win the division, you host the game. Now I think Baltimore goes into Pittsburgh and wins. But still, picture this. You're halfway through a DIY car fix, tools scattered everywhere, and boom, you realize you're missing a part. It's okay because, you know, whatever it is, it's on ebay. They've got everything, brakes, headlights, cold air intakes, whatever you need. And it's guaranteed to fit. Which means no more crossing your fingers and hoping you ordered the right thing. All the parts you need at prices you'll love. Guaranteed to fit every time. Ebay Things people love.
- [75:41]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
Lately on the NPR Politics podcast, we're talking about a big question. How much can one guy change?
- [75:48]
Jason Demers
They want change.
- [75:49]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
What will change look like for energy?
- [75:52]
Political Commentator
Drill baby, Drill schools. Take the Department of Education. Close it. Health care better and less expensive.
- [75:58]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
Follow coverage of a changing country.
- [76:01]
Political Commentator
Promises made, promises kept. We're going to keep our promises on.
- [76:04]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
The NPR Politics Podcast. Listen on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [76:11]
Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart is back at the Daily show, and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into John's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports and more, joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondence and contributors. And with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed, listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [76:50]
Adnan Virk
What's up, everybody? Adnan Burke here to tell you about a new podcast from iHeart podcast in the National Hockey League. It's NHL Unscripted with Firkin Demers.
- [76:58]
Jason Demers
Hey, I'm Jason Demers, former 700 game NHL defenseman turned NHL Network analyst, and boy, oh boy, does daddy have a lot to say.
- [77:07]
Adnan Virk
I love you, by the way. On NHL Network, we're looking forward to getting together each week to chat and chirp about the sport and all the other things surrounding it that we love. Right?
- [77:15]
Jason Demers
Yeah, I just met you today, but we're going to have a ton of guests from the colliding worlds of hockey, entertainment and pop culture. And you know what, tons of back and forth on all things NHL.
- [77:25]
Adnan Virk
Yeah, you're soon going to find out we're not just hockey talk. We had all kinds of random stuff on this podcast. Movies, television, food, wrestling, even the stuff that you wear on NHL.
- [77:35]
Jason Demers
Now you wish you could pull off my short shorts, Virky.
- [77:38]
Adnan Virk
That's sure to cause a ruckus. Listen to NHL Unscripted with Burke and demers, the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [77:57]
John Middlekoff
Steeler fan. How come literally no one is talking about this is Sam Darnold of Pittsburgh. I know it's a bit boom, doom and gloom at the moment, but we had Darnold, Pickens, Warren and Najee and brought in Ben Johnson at a discount version of the current Lions. Najee Harris not gonna be on the team next year. And I mean, we talked about Sam earlier to Pittsburgh. I definitely think he'll be on the table. One major question mark you guys have is your star wide receiver is not a star, but he kind of carries himself like that, thinks he is. And it's very, very hard to win in a scenario where your wide receiver just is a massive diva, but he doesn't produce. I can live with Antonio Brown or Terrell Owens if they're getting me 110 catches in 12 touchdowns. I just can't live with the way Pickens played down the stretch. He's not a reliable player. And listen, you drafted Najee Harris in the first round. He's just not good enough. And I thought this year he ran hard, but we know what good running backs and average running backs look like and he's pretty average. So I think you guys are not Even remotely close to the Lions first time. Writing you from Toledo, Ohio. Let's say the Lions lost to the Vikings and got the five seed instead of the one. Do you believe the Lions would have gone on to beat the Rams or would they have gotten a similar ass kicking? Keep up the good work. I don't know if they would have been a lock to beat the Rams, but their offense would not have looked like Sam Darnold in that because one advantage, you know, the Lions offensive line is elite. Like it is a high end offensive line. The Minnesota Vikings is not their best player towards ACL earlier in the season. They lost O'Neill in that game. They were just a turnstile. Well, when you have a good offensive line you can neutralize the pass rush. Like Penet Sewell is not getting run over by Jared Verse every play. So I think that I think the Lions would beat the Rams though. I definitely would give the Rams a shot but I don't, you know, part of it, you know, Darnold holding on to the ball. Jared Goff doesn't hold on the ball like that. The Lions don't play like that. It would have looked a lot different even if the Rams won. Okay, last question. My Raider fan here. This is Deion, not Deion Sanders. Question for the mailbag. As a Raider fan I felt like we were in hell with an average quarterback in car and I actually think Gruden got the best out of him. How important in today's league is the coach quarterback combo? I seriously think it's the most important aspect to be successful in a loaded division with Sean Payton, Bo Nix, Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and Herbert and Harbaugh. What chance do the Raiders have for success in the next five to 10 years? I would say if you got Ben Johnson and it turns out Ben Johnson is just some version of like the Shanahan McVeigh tree guys, you know, Kevin O'Connell, McVeigh, Kyle LaFleur, McDaniel kind of just. He's just a good play calling head coach. And we can debate all these guys, right? McVeigh is probably the most, you know, I saw, I watched a John Gotti show recently. More Teflon Don than them all because he's got a Super Bowl. He just won a playoff game. O'Connell lost a playoff game. McDaniel's team doesn't show up to meetings on time. Kyle's team won six games and LaFleur's quarterback just fell apart down the stretch. But all those guys, I mean I'd put McDaniel last. But the other guys, proven track record, calling good, good Play. Guards, even McDaniel, like he's, he's called some good plays in his day. If Ben Johnson is that, then I just think you got a couple years to like figure out how you find a quarterback. Let's face it, most of these quarterbacks who'd I see recently say this was a variable. I thought it was a coach say that. Let's face it, most quarterbacks come in the draft. Oh, maybe it was John lynch on a radio interview talking about defending Purdy. Like, the only way to get these guys is a draft pick. Look at all the top quarterbacks in the NFL, in no particular order. Mahomes drafted, Allen drafted. Lamar drafted. Burrow drafted, Herbert drafted, Stafford and Goff. Kind of unique situations, right? They were traded for each other. Stafford spent whatever, a long time with Detroit, same with golf. Hertz drafted. Just look at the quarterback. C.J. stroud drafted, Jaden Daniels drafted. You just. Most of these guys you're just gonna have to draft. Colts were good forever with Manning drafted, Rogers packers drafted. So you just. How do the Raiders draft a quarterback? You guys have drafted one decent quarterback. Feels like in my life because I wasn't alive for Ken Stabler, but Rich Gannon for the little Gruden run In the late 90s, early 2000s was a free agent signing. And then for the next two decades, minus Carr, you did not draft a quarterback. So it's like, can Ben Johnson draft a quarterback? I don't know. And there's an element of luck to it. Also, in a weird way, typically you have to suck or at least be relatively high in the draft to have a shot. Right? Like how the Ravens get Flacco or the Steelers got Ben Roethlisberger. So even if you're not drafting number one, like you still probably gotta hit a pick top 15. Or you can just hope and pray that you find like a Russell Wilson in the third round, Dak Prescott in the fourth round. I mean, Purdy's all time outlier. Just find a starting quarterback in the seventh round. It's mainly first round picks. He's got to draft a guy in the first round. Even Derek was pick 36 or something. Like he was really, really high and he was Khalil's draft. So Khalil was the fifth, fifth overall pick and Derek was your second round pick. 36, 37, something like that. Yeah, I mean it's, it's, it's your future if you hire Ben Johnson. At least you got A shot. He might suck. But if you hire Ben Johnson, that's, that's impressive. Like that was. Damn. The Raiders landed Ben Johnson, a guy that everyone wants. That's a, that's a great start. So I would just start there and then just see what transpires from there. That's. I would just take a breath, see what transpires. Who's the Lions backup quarterback? Isn't he? I feel like your backup was the guy that tore his acl. Hidden hooker, maybe? Could you trade for hidden Hooker? Maybe Ben Johnson likes him a little older than I thought he was. The offensive SEC player of the year in 22 through 27 touchdowns, two picks. Tennessee in 2022 maybe. And Johnson likes them and just like, hey, trade you like a fourth round pick for him and just see what he's got. I don't know if the Lions would even trade him, but they drafted him in what round? In the third and 23. So he has two years left on his rookie contract. Maybe just do that. Maybe just trade like a fourth round pick for Hand and Hooker and just get a quarterback that you know, like knows his system and you feel comfortable with. That's what I would do if I hired Ben Johnson. Assuming Ben Johnson likes the guy a lot. He's played a little bit this year in blowouts. I think he's healthy right now. I don't know why you guys got Teddy Bridgewood on the team. Maybe Dan Campbell and those guys just like him. Hannah Hooker, next quarterback of the Raiders. Adios. Have a great day. We will talk soon. The volume.
- [85:55]
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- [86:23]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
Lately on the NPR Politics podcast, we're talking about a big question. How much can one guy change?
- [86:30]
Jason Demers
They want change.
- [86:31]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
What will change look like for energy?
- [86:34]
Political Commentator
Drill baby drill schools. Take the Department of Education. Close it.
- [86:38]
John Middlekoff
Health care better and less expensive.
- [86:40]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
Follow coverage of a changing country.
- [86:43]
Political Commentator
Promises made, promises kept. We're going to keep our promises on.
- [86:46]
NPR Politics Podcast Host
The NPR Politics podcast. Listen on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [86:53]
Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart is back at the Daily show and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into John's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports, industry and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondents and contributors, and with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [87:31]
Adnan Virk
What's up everybody? Adnan Vir here to tell you about a new podcast. It's NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers.
- [87:37]
Jason Demers
Jason Immerse here, And after playing 700 NHL games, I got a lot of dirty laundry to air out.
- [87:42]
Adnan Virk
I got a lot to say here, too, okay? Each week we'll get together to chat about the sport that we love.
- [87:46]
Jason Demers
Tons of guests are going to join in too, but we're not just going to be talking hockey, folks. We're talking movies, we're talking tv, food, and Adnan's favorite wrestling. It's all on le Table.
- [87:56]
Adnan Virk
Listen to NHL Unscripted with Virk and demers, the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.